from the State； and may we not say that the art of weaving； at least
that largest portion of it which was concerned with the making of
clothes； differs only in name from this art of clothing； in the same
way that； in the previous case； the royal science differed from the
political？
Y。 Soc。 Most true。
Str。 In the next place； let us make the reflection； that the art
of weaving clothes； which an incompetent person might fancy to have
been sufficiently described； has been separated off from several
others which are of the same family； but not from the co…operative
arts。
Y。 Soc。 And which are the kindred arts？
Str。 I see that I have not taken you with me。 So I think
that we had
better go backwards； starting from the end。 We just now parted off
from the weaving of clothes； the making of blankets； which
differ from
each other in that one is put under and the other is put around！ and
these are what I termed kindred arts。
Y。 Soc。 I understand。
Str。 And we have subtracted the manufacture of all articles made
of flax and cords； and all that we just now metaphorically termed
the sinews of plants； and we have also separated off the process of
felting and the putting together of materials by stitching
and sewing；
of which the most important part is the cobbler's art。
Y。 Soc。 Precisely。
Str。 Then we separated off the currier's art； which prepared
coverings in entire pieces； and the art of sheltering； and
subtracted the various arts of making water…tight which are employed
in building； and in general in carpentering； and in other crafts；
and all such arts as furnish impediments to thieving and acts of
violence； and are concerned with making the lids of boxes and the
fixing of doors； being divisions of the art of joining； and we also
cut off the manufacture of arms； which is a section of the great and
manifold art of making defences； and we originally began by parting
off the whole of the magic art which is concerned with antidoter；
and have left； as would appear； the very art of which we were in
search； the art of protection against winter cold； which fabricates
woollen defences； and has the name of weaving。
Y。 Soc。 Very true。
Str。 Yes； my boy； but that is not all； for the first process to
which the material is subjected is the opposite of weaving。
Y。 Soc。 How so？
Str。 Weaving is a sort of uniting？
Y。 Soc。 Yes。
Str。 But the first process is a separation of the clotted
and matted
fibres？
Y。 Soc。 What do you mean？
Str。 I mean the work of the carder's art； for we cannot say that
carding is weaving； or that the carder is a weaver。
Y。 Soc。 Certainly not。
Str。 Again； if a person were to say that the art of making the
warp and the woof was the art of weaving； he would say what was
paradoxical and false。
Y。 Soc。 To be sure。
Str。 Shall we say that the whole art of the fuller or of the
mender has nothing to do with the care and treatment clotes；
or are we
to regard all these as arts of weaving？
Y。 Soc。 Certainly not。
Str。 And yet surely all these arts will maintain that they are
concerned with the treatment and production of clothes； they will
dispute the exclusive prerogative of weaving； and though assigning a
larger sphere to that； will still reserve a considerable field for
themselves。
Y。 Soc。 Very true。
Str。 Besides these； there are the arts which make tools and
instruments of weaving； and which will claim at least to be
cooperative causes in every work of the weaver。
Y。 Soc。 Most true。
Str。 Well； then； suppose that we define weaving； or rather
that part
of it which has been selected by us； to be the greatest and
noblest of
arts which are concerned with woollen garments…shall we be right？ Is
not the definition； although true； wanting in clearness and
completeness； for do not all those other arts require to be first
cleared away？
Y。 Soc。 True。
Str。 Then the next thing will be to separate them； in
order that the
argument may proceed in a regular manner？
Y。 Soc。 By all means。
Str。 Let us consider； in the first place； that there are two kinds
of arts entering into everything which we do。
Y。 Soc。 What are they？
Str。 The one kind is the conditional or cooperative； the other the
principal cause。
Y。 Soc。 What do you mean？
Str。 The arts which do not manufacture the actual thing； but which
furnish the necessary tools for the manufacture； without which the
several arts could not fulfil their appointed work； are
co…operative； but those which make the things themselves are causal。
Y。 Soc。 A very reasonable distinction。
Str。 Thus the arts which make spindles； combs； and other
instruments
of the production of clothes may be called co…operative； and those
which treat and fabricate the things themselves； causal。
Y。 Soc。 Very true。
Str。 The arts of washing and mending； and the other
preparatory arts
which belong to the causal class； and form a division of the
great art
of adornment； may be all comprehended under what we call the
fuller's art。
Y。 Soc。 Very good。
Str。 Carding and spinning threads and all the parts of the process
which are concerned with the actual manufacture of a woollen garment
form a single art； which is one of thow universally acknowledged…the
art of working in wool。
Y。 Soc。 To be sure。
Str。 Of working in wool again； there are two divisions； and both
these are parts of two arts at once。
Y。 Soc。 How is that？
Str。 Carding and one half of the use of the comb； and the other
processes of wool…working which separate the composite； may
be classed
together as belonging both to the art of woolworking； and also to
one of the two great arts which are of universal application…the art
of composition and the art of division。
Y。 Soc。 Yes。
Str。 To the latter belong carding and the other processes
of which I
was just now speaking the art of discernment or division in wool and
yarn； which is effected in one manner with the comb and in another
with the hands； is variously described under all the names which I
just now mentioned。
Y。 Soc。 Very true。
Str。 Again； let us take some process of woolworking which is also
a portion of the art of composition； and； dismissing the elements of
division which we found there； make two halves； one on the principle
of composition； and the other on the principle of division。
Y。 Soc。 Let that be done。
Str。 And once more； Socrates； we must divide the part which
belongs at once both to woolworking and composition； if we
are ever to
discover satisfactorily the aforesaid art of weaving。
Y。 Soc。 We must。
Str。 Yes； certainly； and let us call one part of the art the art
of twisting threads； the other the art of combining them。
Y。 Soc。 Do I understand you； in speaking of twisting； to be
referring to manufacture of the warp？
Str。 Yes； and of the woof too； how； if not by twisting； is the
woof made？
Y。 Soc。 There is no other way。
Str。 Then suppose that you define the warp and the woof；
for I think
that the definition will be of use to you。
Y。 Soc。 How shall I define them？
Str。 As thus： A piece of carded wool which is drawn out lengthwise
and breadth…wise is said to be pulled out。
Y。 Soc。 Yes。
Str。 And the wool thus prepared when twisted by the spindle； and
made into a firm thread； is called the warp； And the art which
regulates these operations the art of spinning the warp。
Y。 Soc。 True。
Str。 And the threads which are more loosely spun； having a
softness proportioned to the intertexture of the warp and to the
degree of force used in dressing the cloth…the threads which are
thus spun are called the woof； and the art which is set over them
may be called the art of spinning the woof。
Y。 Soc。 Very true。
Str。 And； now； there can be no mistake about the nature of the
part of weaving which we have undertaken to define。 For when
that part
of the art of composition which is employed in the working of wool
forms a web by the regular intertexture of warp and woof； the entire
woven substance is called by us a woollen garment； and the art which
presides over this is the art of weaving。
Y。 Soc。 Very true。
Str。 But why did we not say at once that weaving is the art of
entwining warp and woof； instead of making a long and
useless circuit？
Y。 Soc。 I thought； Stranger； that there was nothing useless in
what was said。
Str。 Very likely； but you may not always think so； my sweet
friend； and in case any feeling of dissatisfaction should hereafter
arise in your mind； as it very well may； let me lay down a principle
which will apply to arguments in general。
Y。 Soc。 Proceed。
Str。 Let us begin by considering the whole nature of excess and
defect； and then we shall have a rational ground on which we may
praise or blame too much length or too much shortness in discussions
of this kind。
Y。 Soc。 Let us do so。
Str。 The points on which I think that we ought to dwell are the
following：…
Y。 Soc。 What？
Str。 Length and shortness； excess and defect； with all